Magic From the Heart
by Firefly830
Summary: Everyone keeps secrets and it's common knowlege that best friends tend to share these with eachother. You are able to tell your friends anything but can you tell them everything? What happens when these secrets are reavealed...all at the same time? You're
1. The Summer Between 6th and 7th year

Chapter one

Summer between 6th and 7th Year

_"Come on, here's your chance,_

_Don't let it slip right through your hands_

_Get ready for the ride of your life…"_

**"Ride of Your Life" Oliver James**

Two pairs of quiet footsteps walked up the beautiful path that was lined with roses of all colors and all sizes, walking further up and constantly toward the four story mansion they were to be staying at. Reaching their destination in front of two grand double doors of a dark redwood color, the boy reached over and pressed the doorbell lightly. They waited in silence as people moved inside to open the door for them.

The girl of medium height smoothed out her denim skirt with her slender hands before pulling her blonde hair into a tighter ponytail and tugging at her shirt. The boy beside her smiled at her before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"You look fine," he whispered to her, "I promise." She looked up slightly and nodded at him grateful for his comment.

She looked in his eyes, the hazy gray color of them pulling her in, she reached her arms out and wrapped them around his neck careful not to mess up his neat black hair. He leaned in and kissed her slowly not hearing the tiny click of the door being opened or seeing the other person lean against the doorframe and smirk at the kissing couple.

"Sirius! Charlie! Glad you could make it," the onlooker greeted. The couple looked peeved at being disturbed but said nothing about it. The girl hugged the guy in greeting.

"Charlie! I'm glad Sirius got you to come!"

"I would've come anyway because Sirius would've forced me to," She rolled her eyes looking to the boy over her shoulder who shrugged in response.

"James," Sirius nodded "Are the others here yet?" He asked.

"No not yet." James replied opening the door wider to let them inside the house. He closed the door behind him following them into the sitting room. "You're the first to arrive." He ran his hands through his messy jet black hair and toyed with his glasses nervously.

Charlie had taken a seat on one of the many armchairs surrounding a huge medieval stone hearth. The boys took a seat in other armchairs and sat waiting for the others that were to come soon.

They all sat in silence except to catch up on small details they had missed from each others lives over the summer holiday.

_James _

I talked to Sirius about the beginning of my summer and he talked about his, I'm sad to say that I didn't hear a word he had said. My eyes were glancing at the fireplace every two seconds and my mind wandered with them.

I had invited my friends Sirius and Remus to spend the last two weeks of summer vacation with me. Unfortunately Sirius' girlfriend Charlie didn't want to be alone with just guys so I told her to invite her friends too. Clara and Ashes I didn't have a problem with but Lily on the other hand, the Lily Evans was actually coming here! She disliked me...well hated me with such a passion while I, on the other hand had liked her since fourth year. I was nervous; I didn't know what I was going to do or what I was going to say or if I was going to be able to say anything at all! My mind was a mix of thoughts and I couldn't make out a single one of them, I didn't know how to think straight knowing

she was--

"What the--" Charlie had shouted and turned quickly around to look behind her chair. Her eyebrows went up in confusion. Sirius and I gave her strange looks and she just shook her head. Then I saw two small hands appear from thin air, one pulled on Charlie's hair and the other tugged on her shirt. Charlie yelped in surprise and looked behind the couch again. She muttered under her breath something about going crazy and sunk deeper in her armchair.

I laughed out loud and she glared at me, in return I rolled my eyes. "Ally, Kay give me my invisibility cloak and stop bothering Charlie," I said sternly to what looked to be just space. Ally and Kay appeared from thin air and pouted at me throwing the cloak at my feet. "Apologize now." I told them. They pouted even more and walked with their feet dragging to stand in front of Charlie. They put on their most angelic faces and mumbled "I'm sorry" at the same time. Charlie nodded at them accepting their apology but I had a feeling she would remain skeptical of them for a long time.

"The one on the left is Allison and on the right is Kayley. Their twins and my sisters, and are two!" I told Charlie.

"How do you tell them apart?" she asked looking from one to the other.

"You'll know after awhile," Sirius said "I had trouble at first..."

"They used to be easy to tell apart, Kayley used to have a scar across the right side of her jaw but my darling sisters have the gift of freehand magick and she hides it!"

"The only way I know is if you ask them for a glass of water Kayley will spill it on you but Ally will at least let you drink some of it before she pours the rest on you."

"Oh so they've taken to following you James."

"What can I say, everyone wants to be like me," I grinned in response. Ally and Kay climbed up on the only couch in the room and sprawled themselves out on it. And then we waited.

_Remus_

I fell out of the fireplace with a groan. I hated flooing and I was just reminded of why that was. I got up and dusted myself off then greeted the others. James, Sirius and Charlie were the only ones there along with James' younger sisters.

"Hello," I said to them taking a seat in the armchair to Charlie's right.

"Remus!" Sirius and James greeted still from their seats, but before I had time to stop her Charlie had hugged me and asked how my summer had gone. I tried my best to keep my voice as even as I could, she had touched the open cut on my back from last week's full moon. "Just great," I managed to get out with only a hint of being sarcastic.

"Having fun sitting here and waiting?" I asked after a minute of pure silence.

"Yep," James replied sarcastically running his hands through his hair and playing with his glasses once again. He was nervous. I smirked. Lily was coming soon.

"Lily should be coming soon huh?" Charlie nodded absently but the question I had directed at James.

"Shut-up," He snapped at me. Sirius and I laughed softly. Ally and Kay left to their rooms saying something about how boring we were and if that was what it was like to grow up they wanted to stay young. I just shook my head, definitely related to James alright. The fire place glowed green before Ashes stepped out coughing and sputtering, she wasn't alone there was a little girl clinging to her. A blonde haired blue eyed little girl. Ashes huffed as she shifted the girl to her other hip. The little girl I guess was too afraid to get down and wrapped her arms tighter around Ashes' neck. Ashes agitated as she was managed to smile and say hello to us.

_Ashes_

Eden would not let go of me so I had to hold her. It didn't help that she hated to floo and her small fingers pressed into my neck. I said hi to all of them while trying to pry Eden off of me. I managed to do so and set her down only to have her cling to my leg.

"I'm sorry James I had to bring her," I said apologetically.

"Sister doesn't like to baby-sit?" He smiled

"Midnight? She won't take care of her sister." I said bitterly

"That's okay; she can hang out with Ally and Kay."

"Who?"

"They're my younger sisters. Ally! Kay! Come down! There's someone I want you to meet!"

I heard small feet run down the stairs and stop at the foot of the grand staircase. There were two of them. Twins. Man this was going to be hard.

Eden seeing two girls her own age moved slightly away from me to them. James told me which one was which and for that moment as long as they didn't move I knew. I pushed Eden towards them. I bent down to their height.

"This is Eden," I said. The twins smiled and giggled as they each grabbed one of Eden's hands and led her from the room. I watched her until she disappeared around the corner without a glance back. She'd have fun.

"Again I'm sorry, my grandmother went on vacation and Midnight wouldn't watch her." I sat on the floor leaning against the couch.

"Glad you could make it," Charlie said to me. She then proceeded to lean down towards my ear and whispered.

"Clara is bringing Lily but Lily doesn't know she's coming here."

We both grinned mischievously and laughed maniacally ignoring the looks from the guys. We looked to the fireplace expectantly. And just like clockwork Clara flooed in.

_Clara_

I waved to everyone and flashed them a big smile before I stuck my head back in the fire to yell at Lily. "Lily! Hurry up and get your butt out here!"

She came out a few seconds later wiping soot from her red hair. "I don't see what's so important and why I had to come--Clara what's he doing here?" She asked sweetly...deadly sweet in fact.

"Well you see Lils it is his house you know...," I muttered, "It's not important...summer vacation at his house and all..."

"WHAT! Why didn't you tell me about this!" She yelled. I saw Charlie and Ashes laughing from the corner of my eye at my misfortune. I glared at them before replying to Lily "Ashes and Charlie told me to!"

"What!" they both yelled and I raised my head higher in their direction.

I win. As Lily began yelling at both Charlie and Ashes who yelled back I went over to James, Sirius and Remus who were arguing quietly themselves. Apparently James thought Lily knew she was coming here. How interesting.

_Lily_

How could they! My friends! My best friends! They deceived me! They lied to me! I could never forgive them...well at least not yet...I'd make them suffer first!

I was in the room I was shown to by James no less, fuming, I wanted to throw something or hit someone... like Clara or Charlie or even Ashes. I fell down on the floor next to the oak bed and started to bang the back of my head against the frame. How could I be so stupid! They were acting so strange too! How could I not notice? I was thinking of all the wonderful ways I could pay them back...I could jinx them into oblivion or better yet I would!

"Isn't that a little too dramatic?" someone said from the door

I looked up. It was Remus.

"Sorry, the door was open and I couldn't help but overhear. Did you know you talk out loud when you're thinking?" he asked me. He came over to where I was and sat down on the floor next to me.

"I wasn't being dramatic, it's true." I said firmly but I couldn't help but notice that I was trying to convince myself more than I was him. He just nodded as if he knew what I was thinking. He offered no words, just himself sitting there giving nothing more than the comfort of someone being there.

"I guess I should apologize," I said reluctantly

"I knew you'd see it my way." He smiled before getting up and offering me a hand.

"I don't know how you can make someone do something with out even saying a word," I shook my head.

"Sometimes you don't need to tell someone to do something you just need to be there for them and let them know you're there. That and well...it's a gift I got from my mother." He walked ahead of me and out of the door leaving to god knows where.

"Marauders," I muttered under my breath,

"you can never understand them." I went directly across the hall from my room to Clara's and knocked lightly. It's now or never.

"Come in!" I walked in cautiously and what I saw I did not expect to see at all. There were three little girls whom I didn't see when I first arrived. Two looked identical, black hair just like James'. Ashes was sitting on the bed with Charlie laughing as Sirius was chasing the third little girl, she had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Apparently the girl had taken Sirius' wand. Remus was in the corner of the room leaning against the wall. How did he get here before me? And without me seeing him? James was there too, sitting on a chair in the room. I didn't look at him.

"Oh aren't they adorable!" Clara gushed which was weird because she's always so calm, and collected you know. She was holding one of the twins I assumed.

"I want one," she whined. I walked two more steps and sat down cross- legged on the floor. I pulled at the ends of my hair not knowing how to apologize.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, making everyone in the room pause and look at me.

"We know, and we accept," Charlie, Clara and Ashes said at the same time.

"It's no big deal, don't worry about it Lils." Charlie told me. I sighed and pushed myself up off the floor. I walked over to the door and turned around to face everyone. I made eye contact with James for the first time since I had arrived.

"James...could I talk to you...In the hall...please?" I asked quietly

He got up and followed me down the hall a little ways.

"I guess I owe you an apology," I whispered quietly

"It's okay," he replied smiling a little

"You're house is...beautiful,"

"Thank-you,"

"James I know we've gotten into a fair few fights the last few years but maybe we could work on trying to be friends..."

He smiled and leaned down to whisper in my ear

"Yes we can work on trying to be friends but I intend to be more than your friend!"

_Charlie_

"Awwwww how cute!" I whispered with my ear pressed against the door.

"We told you he liked her...a lot" Sirius said quietly from his seat on the bed. Eden was sitting on his lap gazing up at him, grinning. Remus was sitting in the chair James had vacated and Ashes and Clara were standing beside me with their ears to the door as well. We heard them separate and go their separate ways, James to greet his parents who had just arrived and Lily to come back in Clara's room. The door knob turned and we all scrambled to look like we hadn't done anything. Lily walked in as Ashes was taking Eden from Sirius, Clara was sitting on the floor in front of Remus and I had jumped on the bed and was attempting to smooth out my skirt.

"Hi Lils!" I said cheerfully

"I know you were listening...," she retorted laughing quietly

"Were gonna be going now." Remus said and he and Sirius left silently.

"So what are you going to do?" I asked

"About what?" she snapped

"James, Lils." Clara said quietly

"He is so infuriating, I just...how dare he!" she fumed

"How dare he what?" I asked

"Just go and make me feel like this..."

I was about to reply but Sirius appeared at the door,

"Emily wants to meet all of you,"

"Emily?" I asked

"Mrs. Potter." he corrected.

By that time Lily had snuck past Sirius and locked herself in her room.

_Lily_

I couldn't take this it was just too much...had I just actually agreed to spend the remainder of my summer at my only enemy's house...and had James Potter actually just said that he wanted to be more than my friend? Ugh, life was so confusing why couldn't everyone and thing just leave me alone for five minutes...and then the whole thing with my parents...

"Lily...Lils open up ...please!" Clara called through the door

Tears were blinding me.

"No!" I sobbed solemnly

The door handle rattled and it sounded as if Sirius or Remus was pushing against it with their shoulder.

"Lily...please let us help!" Charlie called

I wiped furiously at the tears falling silently down my face, I pulled my knees up to my chest and sat rocking back and forth.

"Hey..." a voice said from the door leading to my bathroom, I looked up and James was leaning against the doorframe...smiling.

"H-Hey..."I mumbled

He walked over and sat down next to me

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked

"M...My parents are always fighting and then coming here it's just too much for me to handle..."

James smiled sadly and wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb,

"Don't cry...please,"

I smiled.

"I'm sorry...I'm being way too--"

I was cut off by James, he pressed a finger to my lips,

"It's okay you've just had a bad day, now come downstairs...my mom wants to meet you..." He got up and offered me a hand, then walked toward the door.

"How did you get in here anyway?"

He grinned "My room's connected by the bathroom..." _Great_ I thought.

With that he unlocked the door and all five of our friends looked up at us in awe. They all got up from their various sitting positions in the hallway and we all headed down to the first floor to meet Mr. and Mrs. Potter.


	2. Of Judgements and Plans

**Before you read chapter two I just wanted to make something clear, my best friend Amanda and I wrote this story together even though the first chapter doesn't say so. I do not deserve all the credit for this so I had to correct my earlier mistake, Thank You! **

Chapter Two

Of Judgments and Plans

_Ashes_

"Man, James you have got to get an elevator, walking up and down these stairs is murder!" Sirius complained.

When we got to the kitchen Mrs. Potter was sitting at the table sipping tea, when she saw us she jumped up.

"Remus, Sirius dear how are you?"

"Fine" They both mumbled as she hugged them.

James introduced everyone one by one, when he got to Lily Mrs. Potter wouldn't shake her hand just looked distastefully at her and put on a fake smile.

Lily smiled but got that distant, detached look she got when she threw up the shields around her heart, she felt like crying again...I could see it in her eyes.

When James introduced me Mrs. Potter almost looked sad for me or maybe it was pity I saw in her eyes, but all I could think was 'how dare she judge me...she had no right to!' She said no words to me but she didn't have to I could tell by the way she looked at me and the way her eyes darted from me and then to Eden how she disapproved of me. Without thinking much about it, I took a few steps in front of Eden to protect her. I nodded in a polite manner towards her but glared furiously at her for making up her mind about me already.

_Sirius_

After we all said hello to Mrs. Potter and had some dinner we all headed up the very VERY long flights of stairs to the fourth floor. The first floor was mainly for family events and Mr. Potter's use, the second floor consisted of a library, living room, ballroom, lounge and Mr. and Mrs. Potter's bedroom.

The third floor was built for The Potter Children and guests, on the left it had five rooms: Clara's connected to Remus' by a bathroom, Ashes connected to Eden's by a bathroom, And Allison's room with her own mini bathroom. On the right was Lil's room connected to James' by a bathroom, my room connected to Charlie's by a bathroom, and Kayley's room with her own mini bathroom also. At the end of this floor there was a Bay view window overlooking the gardens, it was also lined with bookshelves and positioned between Hogwarts' two biggest bookworms; Lily and Clara.

Now the Fourth floor was my favorite because it was mainly added for James and his guests use. It had an Astronomy room, where Remus tended to hang out, Ally and Kay's playroom, A Quidditch room, A ballroom where we could throw parties, a library for Lily and Clara's use A kitchen where I hung out most of the time, a lounge, and a sunroom/greenhouse for Mrs. Potter's magical plants. Oh an the most important room of all The Marauder's hang out room...basically where we planned our pranks...and best of all I got a beanbag chair..….It was green.

After Mr. and Mrs. Potter went to sleep 'We' meaning James, Remus and I were drafted to put the three little ones to bed. Ally fell asleep on Clara's lap, Kay fell asleep while Lily was brushing her hair after her bath, and Eden had fallen asleep on my shoulder. James took Kay from Lily, Remus took Ally from Clara and I shifted Eden to a comfortable position as I stood up.

As we went to leave Charlie whispered to us and we all turned around and as we did she snapped a Polaroid of the three of us holding the three little ones.

_Ashes_

I woke up and the first thing I thought of was Eden, I went into her room only to find her asleep in her bed, peacefully. I sat down on her bed and tapped her shoulder gently,

"Eden...honey...wake up"

She opened her eyes and smiled, she sat up and held out her arms. I picked her up and carried her over to the closet to get her dressed for the day, and then she went to find Ally and Kay. A little later I walked by the playroom to check on the girls, and Eden walked up to me and blinked and changed her eye color from blue to silver and back. I gasped.

"Sorry about that...I should have told you that my sisters could perform freehand magic they probably taught her how to do that..." James said from the doorway, He took the twins hands and I grabbed Eden and we went downstairs to find the others as I explained,

"She's always been able to do that just not in a really long time..."

_James_

The kitchen was empty except for Clara, Remus and Charlie. Ashes put Eden in a chair and started to make her a plate, Clara took Ally from me and I helped Kayley into a chair and got her breakfast.

"Morning!" Remus greeted us over his book propped up on the orange juice pitcher.

"Morning..." I replied

I sat down and started to make myself a plate, since it was only a little after sunrise I didn't expect to see the others for quite awhile. Everyone was still in their pajamas with the exception of Eden, Remus was wearing blue plaid pajama bottoms and a blue t-shirt, Clara had on her red silk shorts and t-shirt with a sweater thrown on over it, Ally was in a blue pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt and Kay was in a matching pink pair, Ashes had on a pair of gray sweats and a plain black tank top, and Charlie had on a gray tank top and black pajama pants.

Lily was next to appear, I noticed she was trying really hard not to look in my direction. She was wearing a green t-shirt with green plaid pajama bottoms. Ashes grinned.

"Morning Lils!" she greeted cheerfully

Lily didn't reply she flopped down in a chair and started to make herself a plate. After everyone had eaten and my parents had left for work we all got up and decided to go ambush Sirius to get him to get up. Eden led the way upstairs, when we got to Sirius' door she threw it open and marched over to the bed. Sirius was sprawled out across the bed, snoring, Eden climbed up on the bed and jumped onto Sirius' stomach. He coughed and sat up...sort of...

"What the----Ah! Should have guessed it was you,"

He looked around at all of us grinning at him and laughed.

"Alright I'm up now out with you so I can get dressed...I'll meet you all downstairs in ten minutes."

We all nodded and left to get dressed.


	3. Of Laughs and Ancient Runes

Chapter Three

Of Laughs and Ancient Runes

_Charlie_

Sirius said he needed ten minutes to get dressed but I knew he'd go back to sleep for five more minutes and then get dressed for the other five. I stayed behind the others watching how they talked with each other before they disappeared into their own rooms to get ready for the day. I smiled to myself before slowly opening the door and letting myself in. I closed the door softly and tiptoed to where Sirius fell back asleep at…..the chair in the corner of his room.

I laughed silently and crept towards him. I climbed up on his lap and straddled him before kissing him straight on the mouth. It didn't take long for him to respond. Once we broke apart he grinned.

"Now I wouldn't mind waking up like that for the rest of the year."

Rolling my eyes, I jokingly replied back to him, "You wouldn't mind but I would. I would hate having an idiot for a boyfriend!"

"I hate to tell ya sweetheart but I am an idiot!"

I yelped loudly as he got up off the chair faster than lighting throwing me harshly to floor. I glared at him rubbing my elbows and butt where they had collided with the ground. He smiled sheepishly and pulled me off the floor.

"Now get dressed," I shouted at him as I walked out the door, rather than seeing him pout I heard it in voice as he shouted back at me…not that I could hear what he was saying anyway…

_Remus_

I went back to my room as well as everyone else to get ready. I threw my blue t-shirt on my unmade bed not caring if everything was in a mess at the moment. I rummaged through my dresser looking for a good shirt to wear and pants to match it as well. Once I found my favorite pair of black jeans and a plain white t-shirt I laid them across the bed as I took my shower.

I heard James yelling from the stairs that we had five minutes before he'd go and pull each and everyone out of our rooms. Sighing and rolling my eyes at the same time I quickly got dressed and met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Where are we going anyway? Did we even decide on a place to go," I asked him as I leaned against the railing.

"We're going to go to the square that's next to Godric's Hollow," he told me. He didn't look at me the whole time he spoke to me; he looked toward Lily's door with eager eyes, awaiting her grand entrance!

I moved a step over, closer to the railing and just in time, Sirius came falling down the stairs two at time, and I watched very amused as he took down James with him, yelping and screaming the whole time. Looking over the railing I saw that they had landed in a heap one on top of the other. I folded my arms and leaned on the banister once again just too openly laugh at them.

"Shut-up," were the shouts that followed my laughter.

"And if I won't, what will you do?"

I should've known better than to say something to the two of them and before I knew it two spells came shooting up towards me. I ducked only to hear a shout come from behind me. I turned around slowly to see Charlie wide-eyed and gaping like a fish. Clara not far behind her looking as if death had come for her, as she paled faster than anyone I know.

_Clara_

I watched as if in slow motion as two spells hit Charlie directly leaving her standing there in green gunk. Her hair. Her clothes. Her shoes. All of them. Covered. I groaned and wanted to fall on the floor dead. I'd have to go back into Charlie's room…again and help her find something to wear…again. Do they know how long I was in there! I'll kill them, I will, I swear!

I leaned over the banister and I swear I yelled my heart out to them.

"Do you know how much I hate you right now? I'll kill you with my bare hands! Just wait till I get down I'll kill you just to bring you back and kill you again! You'll suffer for this Mr. Potter and you too Mr Black! I hate you!" I screamed at them.

"We love you too," Sirius shouted up. I muttered a few select words under my breath as I turned away and followed a whining Charlie. Just as I was about to go inside Charlie's room Lily's door opened.

"Lily! Glad you're here," I greeted her, smiling sweetly at her as she walked to me. She raised her eyebrows wondering what I was doing. As she came within an arms reach of me I pushed her inside of Charlie's room.

"Play nice!" I called to her before I ran past Remus (And believe me I did notice that he was wearing a very flattering shirt!) and ran down two steps before I heard Lily scream. I smiled to myself before yelling loudly to the two Marauders that sent the two spells.

"You better run for your lives¡Yo le odio¡Hago¡Yo le mataré¡Yo le haré sufre mil muertes! " I sprinted down two flights of stairs and kept going.

_James_

Sirius and I were sitting down on the floor on the same place we fell to watching how fast Clara ran down all those steps.

Sirius turned to me and asked, "Should we run?"

"Not yet, wait till she gets halfway past the second floor, we got time."

So we sat there for about three seconds more before getting up as fast as we could and ran towards the sitting room. We dove behind the couch and crouched there waiting silently.

"Do you think she'll find us?" I asked.

"I think I already did!"

We yelped in surprise and ran to the kitchen…but she was already there too sitting in the chair! We ran to the dinning room and there she was! She was everywhere, following us, getting to every place before us—wait of course! How could we be so stupid? I stopped so quickly that Sirius ran smack dab into me.

"What did you do that for?"

"Have you noticed how she gets everywhere before us?"

"Yeah…."

"How she always beats us?"

"Yeah….."

"How she's so fast?"

"Yeah…."

"Don't you get it?"

"It might help if you spell it out a bit."

"Sirius! She can apparate you great dolt!"

Before we even had a chance to digest the information we were hit with stunning spells. Clara came walking up behind us and glared down at us. She raised her chin in glory and said two words. "I win." Since we couldn't move we could do nothing to prevent what happened next.

We were tied to the sitting chairs in the dinning room….but that's not all…she-she-we were wearing dresses for Pete's sake!

_Lily_

I came down the stairs with the girls, Charlie, Ashes and Remus. "Everyone is ready," I called out. I heard threats being exchanged in the dining so everyone went in that direction. When we opened the door what we saw was…well not what we expected to see at all. James and Sirius were tied up and in dresses! Clara was sitting on table her legs crossed and blowing on her fingernails.

"I told you he was strange," I heard Kayley tell Ally and Eden.

"Never thought you'd have it in you," Ashes told Clara patting her shoulder in respect. Eden was holding her hand but pulled away and went towards Sirius.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling with innocence with what she said. "I never knew you like Dress-up. I like Dress-up too. It's my favorite game. You can play with me now!"

"Clara you are soo dead," Sirius hissed, James nodded in agreement. Let me just say that pink is not his color at all!

Clara smiled evilly before snapping a Polaroid of the boys in dresses. The flash threw them off for a few seconds before they struggled against the ropes and started to yell ferociously.

The shopping center was crowded with people; they walked around the square for awhile just looking.

"You guys want to go swimming when we get back?" James asked

"We didn't bring our suits!" Ashes replied

Charlie smiled an evil smile and dragged Lily, Clara and Ashes into the nearest swimming suit store. After about a half an hour and fifty bathing suits each the four girls walked out of the store, three of them holding shopping bags with their purchases. After they had gotten their swim suits everyone went their separate ways. Ashes, Eden and Sirius went to the grocery store to get food for dinner. They turned around a corner and Eden smiled and ran to a shelf, she returned with a box of cereal...Fruit Loops to be exact.

"Mommy I want this one!" Eden whined

"No!" Ashes said firmly

"Mommy?" Sirius cocked an eyebrow

"I'm the closest thing she has…" Ashes explained

Eden threw herself on the ground and started to throw a tantrum.

"Eden Paradise Rivers you stand up now!" Ashes said irritably

Sirius looked at Ashes quizzically,

"Rivers?"

"Dad's name…" Ashes said quickly

She ignored the funny look he gave her and picked up Eden and put her in the cart, cereal box and all.

Clara had wandered off to the bookstore when no one was looking, only to buy one book she told herself. An hour later she came out with a bag filled with four or five books and a bag of one hundred Ice Mice lollipops.

James headed off to the pet store and bought two miniature owls for his sisters' birthday, the white one was for Allison and the black one was for Kayley. After his shopping James apparated to the house and dropped off the owls in his room then went back to the square.

Lily had taken Ally and Kay to the park so they could burn off their excessenergy, after his shopping James met them there when he was done. They had plenty of time so they decided to take a walk before heading back. Lily put Kayley on her hip and James took Ally's hand and they walked down the path towards the square. Along the way two old ladies stopped and smiled at them,

"How old are they?" one asked

"Two…" Lily replied

The second old lady smiled sadly,

"So young……….they have your eyes but look like their father." She motioned to James…"Between you and me he's a real keeper that one is!" she whispered to Lily none too quietly. She patted Lily on the shoulder and they continued walking.

"But…I…..They……ugh their not mine!" Lily called after them but the ladies kept on walking, James just laughed and kept walking towards their other friends, Lily huffed angrily but followed James none-the-less.

"What are you laughing about they thought they were your kids too!" she huffed, James smiled but kept walking.

Remus and Charlie were left by themselves, they sat down on a bench and waited,

"You know…I know about your family!" Remus said after a long awkward silence

"Y-You do?"

"Yeah…"

"How'd you find out?"

"Your eyes…not many people, even in the magical world, have eyes like you!"

"It's not something I'm proud of!" she snapped

"I know it's just I thought I'd tell you I knew and let you know that I wont judge you on it, you can't help who your family is but Sirius…that's another story……"

"What about me?' Sirius asked walking up

"Nothing!" Charlie said quickly, casting a sidelong glance at Remus…daring him to say something.

Ashes walked up holding about nine grocery bags and Eden wasn't far behind holding a cereal box, Charlie smiled…the perfect image, Eden standing looking so innocent, her shoelaces untied holding the cereal box, her hair all messed up from her tantrum. Charlie dug in her purse and pulled out a camera, focused and snapped a Polaroid.

Lily and James walked up next, Lily was positively furious,

"What…How DARE they…those infuriating old bats!" she screamed

Ally smiled and hugged Lily around her neck,

"It's okay Lily!"

Clara came walking up with her swim suit bag, a bag of books and a bag of lollipops.

Kay, Ally and Eden all whined for one,

"No you little candy moochers!" Clara said

The others gave her weird looks,

"What?" she asked

"Does the word ONE book mean anything to you?" Remus laughed

"They were on sale!" Clara protested

"…And the Ice Mice lollipops?" Lily asked sarcastically

"Well…..they…..were on sale too…sort of!"

After the groceries were put away, the presents hidden and the candy safely locked away from both Clara and the kids they each put on their bathing suits and went out to the pool.

The guys and the little girls were the first ones to jump right in the pool not wasting a second; the four other girls however stayed at the edge and looked down at the water critically. Charlie placed a toe in the water before quickly pulling it back.

"It's cold," she complained moving away.

"Here I can help," Sirius offered, he splashed water in their direction successfully keeping their attention to him and not to Remus and James who were behind the girls. With one strong push they pushed all of them in the pool screaming threats and all. Charlie and Ashes stayed in the pool figuring it was safer there. Lily and Clara quickly found the stairs out and did so immediately.

Lily pulled off the shirt that was now clinging to her and tossed it on the chair where her towel was. Self consciously she placed her arms around her stomach and watched Ally, Kay, and Eden play in the pool. They each had a pair of water wings on and an inner tube to keep them safe. Lily laughed as Ally and Kay splashed water into Sirius' face.

Arms wrapped around her waist and picked her up. She was suddenly closer to the pool than she wanted to be. She kicked and waved her arms in an attempt to escape.

"James let me go!"  
"No." Before he had time to drop her or react to what she had done he had fallen into the pool with her for she had wrapped her legs around his keeping him from going anywhere. They both came up out of the water sputtering water and taking deep breaths of air.

"What was that for," James asked.

"It was only fair. You wanted to push me in the pool and I wanted to push you into the pool. It was a compromise, that I made by myself. Your opinion wasn't needed."

"Hey Clara what's that on your back," Sirius shouted out

"What! Where? What's on my back," she asked turning around. She took of the wet white t-shirt she had and let it drop to the floor.

"Hey Remus! You're out of the pool help her," James stated.

Lily, Sirius and James were at the edge of the pool wanting to see what was on her back while Ashes was behind them keeping one eye on Clara and the other on the three little girls.

_Remus_

Walking in small steps to Clara, I watched how she turned her back to me. Her back was covered in ancient writing…and scars. I moved her hair to one side, feeling uncomfortable at how close we were.

"I can't read it all," I said quietly, "It's covered."

"Untie the strings!" Sirius yelled. I could have strangled him but I did nothing, my hands remained at my sides and I moved not an inch closer.

"Untie them, it's okay, I want to know what's there," she whispered to me. I nodded and gulped at the same time. I could feel my heart beat a thousand times a minute. Centimeter by centimeter I untied the two strings leaving her back bare while she held the front part of her bathing suit up. "I can see all of the writing but I can't understand it, it's mixed with other languages…Runes…and Latin….it doesn't make any sense! Can anyone read Latin and Runes? The runes I can read but the Latin is what confuses me."

I watched sadly as Clara raised her hand. How ironic, the one thing she can read is something she's physically unable to read!

I sighed, "Does anyone have a spare piece of parchment and a quill, and maybe I can write these symbols down?"

Everyone watched amazed how Charlie got of the pool and pulled those exact items out of her purse and gave them to me before getting back into the pool.

"Geez, woman do you have your whole house in there," Sirius said in awe.

She turned to face him, "No…only parts of it."

The little girls getting restlessand there not being any entertainment whined to get out of the pool and Ashes helped them out. She took off their water wings placed a towel around each of their shoulders before making them go upstairs and change. They obeyed.

"It's getting a little cold, are you almost done," Clara asked me, hugging her arms to her.

"Yeah, just one more word, okay I got it." I placed the parchment on the seat before wrapping a dry towel around her shoulders, it was too uncomfortable for me to tie her bathing suit back. Everyone else got out of the pool too and we all headed inside our towels wrapped tightly around us.

_3rd person_

James led the way to Library where he was sure they could find a translation for the Latin andRunes on her back. He pulled out a few books and placed them on the table before leaving the room.

Clara grabbed one of the books after retying her bathing suit and started to search through its pages, soaking in its contents. James came back a few seconds later with shirts for everyone.

"I didn't think you like it if I went into your rooms and went through your stuff so all I have are my shirts. I hope you don't mind." James said to the girls. They didn't mind since it was better then just the wet bathing suits they were wearing. The shirts reached about three inches above their knees.

Everyone was quiet and no one said a thing, the only sound coming from the pages that Clara turned every so often. Charlie sat next to Sirius on the couch and Lily and James, separated from each other, sat on the other couch. Ashes had not come in with them.

"Where's Ashes," were the first words to be spoken. It was Remus who broke the silence. Everyone shrugged not knowing the answer. That was until they heard singing that would have needed an interpreter.

Sirius jumped up and off the couch, "What the hell was that?"

Lily and Clara laughed not only because they knew it was Eden but because Charlie had fallen straight on the floor and was glaring fire in Sirius direction.

"It's Eden, she's singing," Lily told Sirius trying not to laugh at him.

"Singing? What the hell kind of singing is that? Can't understand a damn word she's saying!" He walked to the door wanting to stop the awful music that was playing.

"Leave it alone! I know you had to have sung too when you were little" Charlie insisted.

Sirius said nothing but instead walked out of the door with a shrug and towards the bathroom. The others stayed behind. The singing got louder as he moved closer to the bathroom where Eden and Ashes were. The door was slightly opened and pushed it to open it an inch more. He looked inside.

He saw Ashes kneeling in front of the tub playing with Eden. Every time Ashes tried to wash her hair Eden would splash her making her wetter than she already was. Finally she got tired of it and pulled Eden towards her not in a rough way but firm enough to get her to stay. Eden started to sing again and Sirius watched how it made Ashes smile. Deciding against saying something about her singing or what _she _thought was singing he turned back around and went to the library with the others.

Ashes walked into the library ten minutes later and walked into chaos. Lily was arguing to James about something he should've done, Charlie was hitting Sirius in the head talking about how he was so stupid sometimes and Clara seemed to be bossing around Remus, telling him certain pages and things to look for. Remus looked about ready to drown himself. Rubbing her temples and muttering to herself she yelled a 'shut-up' to everyone in the room. They all quieted down and looked at her taking their respective seats.

"I gave Ally, Kay and Eden a bath and put them to sleep, so please try to be at least a little quieter." Ashes sat down with a huff in between Lily and James and fell asleep automatically, Lily straight after her.

Clara groaned out loud, "I can't find any of these symbols none of it makes sense, Runes and Latin, Latin and Runes they just don't go with each other!" She looked up only to find most of her friends sleeping already.

Remus had fallen asleep on the table the book he was reading being used as a pillow, Charlie was awake but was in another world she was spread on the couch her head in Sirius' lap. Sirius and James were the only two up.

"I have a feeling something's missing…a big piece…I'm not going t solve this today," she decided, "or even in years." She sighed and closed her book giving up for the night.

Sirius rubbed his eyes and yawned, he stretched his hands in the air before pulling them in hoping no one was watching him. They weren't.

James took off his glasses and twirled them in his fingers, he opened his mouth twice but no words came out. Placing his glasses back on his face he placed his hand on his right shoulder blade. "I think I have something that will help."

Clara looked at him, her eyebrows raised, it was late and she was tired, what could he possibly have now that he couldn't have shared earlier?

"What is it?" she asked wanting to know but being too tired to really care.

He got up slowly careful not to disturb Ashes and Lily on the couch. He stood in front of Clara and kneeled down his back towards her, before he took off his shirt.

"James, you know I don't like you like that and—what the hell is that?" She looked closely, examining his right shoulder blade. There was a Latin word on his back. Invictus.

"Invictus," Clara whispered.

"Do you know what that means?" James asked.

"…invi….invisible!" She declared, happy with herself.

"Invisible?" He repeated.

"Oh…no...wait a minute…Invincible!"  
"Invisible is nowhere close to Invincible," Sirius added in.

"Shut-up, I'm tired!" Clara snapped.

Sirius was unable to respond back as Charlie had moved from her back to her stomach. Sirius watched as she made herself comfortable. His eyebrows rose in curiosity, "Look at this," he breathed to others. Clara and James got up from where they were, James putting his shirt back on. Sirius moved Charlie's shirt up a bit so that another Latin word could be seen.

"What does it mean," Sirius and James asked.

"Give me a minute, it's late," Clara frowned as she looked at the letters. Cimmerii. "It says Cimmerii which means "People of eternal darkness," Clara figured out. "This doesn't make sense, they are Latin words but they are written in Runes." Sirius sighed next to her.

"No use hiding it now," he shrugged, he turned his right arm over to reveal ever more Latin words in Runes.

"Now aren't we just a bunch of freaks," Clara muttered grabbing his arm and reading it silently to herself before translating it to the others. Solivagus. "Solivagus or alone."

"Now aren't you just little miss sunshine," he murmured.

"Cute," she said throwing his own arm back at him and successfully hitting him. "It's way too late to be dealing with this, we'll talk about it in the morning," she yawned, "So who's moving them," she asked looking at the sleeping forms of four people.

Sirius started to pick up Charlie while James had already gotten Lily in his arms, "I guess that means you have Ashes or Remus," Sirius snickered before he and James left. She pouted and crossed her arms even though they couldn't see her. Knowing she would never be able to carry either of them she went to Remus and started to poke him in the side. He growled and she moved back taken by surprise. Knowing Ashes could sleep through everything and anything she grabbed the heaviest book she could find and slammed it as hard as she could on the table waking him up.

"Remus," she said sweetly, "Glad you woke up all by yourself I need your help."

He mumbled she didn't quite want to repeat and ignored it for now. She moved to the side showing Ashes sleeping on the couch, "A little help here," she asked.

He groaned but got up anyway. He picked Ashes up and followed Clara out the door and to Ashes room. When Clara opened Ashes's room James and Sirius had just closed Charlie's and Lily's bedroom doors.

Sirius shook his head, "Couldn't handle carrying them, miss sunshine."  
"You are so lucky I'm tired and my wand is in my room, but trust me, I'll get you back…tomorrow!" she explained.

"I'm sure you will. Night, Remus, James! Miss Sunshine." He yawned and pretended to tip an imaginary hat at Cara then headed off to bed.

"Yeah, same as him," James said tiredly before stumbling off towards his room. Remus and Clara put Ashes in her bed and left their separate ways too tired to say another word.


	4. Of Hateful Shouts and Angry Tears

Chapter Four

Of Hateful Shouts and Angry Tears

_Sirius_

**(2 a.m. in the morning)**

When I had gone to my room two hours ago I had been too tired to put on my pajamas so I had discarded my shirt and fallen asleep on top of the comforter on my bed. I woke up to this constant tapping on my arm, I groaned

"It's two a.m. what could you possibly want?"

"Sirius…..I had a bad dream…..I'm scared!"

It was Eden standing there in her pajamas with her favorite blanket and teddy bear.

I got up and picked her up; she laid her head down on my shoulder as I carried her out the door and down the hall to her room. I put her back in her bed and tucked her in then went to leave but she started crying. So I grabbed a chair from next to the door and put it next to her bed, sat in it and was still there in the morning when I woke up around five a.m.

Ashes was standing in the doorway,

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly

"Eden woke me up around two and said she had a bad dream and I figured that you had had enough for one day and so I brought her back here but she wouldn't let me leave!"

"You still should have woken me up!"

"Geez, sorry for trying to give you a break and trying to help!"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way but I can handle it…..I'm used to it by now"

"Apology accepted!"

I got up to leave, maybe I could get a few more hours of sleep before Eden decided to ambush me again like she did yesterday, as I walked past her Ashes whispered

"Thank you!" even if she didn't want to.

Before I knew what was happening I had turned around and kissed her softly, when we broke apart she looked away. Eden was sitting up, clapping and giggling, from behind us two more voices joined in the laughter, the twins had seen too…..great! It wouldn't be a secret for long.

I left to go wake up Little Miss Sunshine ever so nicely but no…..a person tries to do one nice thing for someone and he gets a vase thrown at his head and cursed at in a language I wasn't really sure what it was but it wasn't English, and it didn't sound so good either!

_3rd person_

Damn Sirius, It's five a.m. and he has to go waking me up! I'll kill him I swear I will! Clara thought angrily, she got up and stumbled into Charlie's room to wake up someone else, she had to continue what Sirius had started. Charlie woke up easily enough then they went into Lily's room to wake her up. Charlie took Lily's blankets and Clara pulled open the curtains, Lily whined and cursed at them.

"Lily dear…..James took you're diary!" Clara whispered

Lily shot up and stormed out into the hallway screaming, Sirius and Remus laughed from the safety of their own rooms. Lily stormed into James room and threw open the curtains.

James was sleeping on his stomach, he had discarded his shirt, Lily jumped on him and tried to smother him with his own pillow until she saw his right shoulder blade.

"What the hell are you doing woman?" James whined

"You…oh sorry….." She got up and he sat up

"Why didn't you say you had a tattoo?" she demanded

"You didn't ask for one and two you didn't need to know!"

"I knew!" Clara called from behind Charlie

Lily turned to them and glared at them,

"Charlie has one too…see!" Clara started to lift up the back of Charlie's shirt,

"Hey!" Charlie shoved her shirt back down

"And James didn't take your diary Lily!" Clara added in a small voice before shoving Charlie in front of her.

"Great now that that's all settled could you all get the hell out of my room!"

Lily, Clara, and Charlie nodded and left.

Ten minutes later after everyone had woken up they all met in the library,

James had thrown on a shirt and taken over one of the couches, but he moved over a bit so Lily and Ashes could sit down. Sirius, Charlie and Remus were seated on the other couch.

"Okay how many of us have tattoos?" Clara asked

James, Sirius, Remus, Charlie and Ashes all raised their hands, James looked at Lily but she quickly looked away.

Ashes lifted up her hair and Clara came over to read it ... "Purification."

"Why the hell would it say something like that…to me?"

Everyone gave her strange looks,

"I meant what does it mean?" Ashes clarified

Clara walked over to the table and wrote down everyone's name and their tattoo hoping she could make some sense of it all. While she gathered stacks of books everyone left to go eat breakfast, except James. He crossed the hall to his sisters' play room, Eden was standing on a table dressed in a princess costume that was much too big for her, Ally was setting up a tea party, and Kayley was rummaging through a dress up box screaming about not being able to find something. James walked in and gave Ally a hug and a kiss on the cheek,

"Happy Birthday!"

Kayley ran over and hugged him around the neck; he gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood up.

"Be good!" he smiled at his little sisters and their friend and left to go get some breakfast.

In the kitchen Remus had a book propped up on the milk jug and was reading as he ate his cereal, Clara was mixing a few hot chocolates at the counter, Ashes was sitting on a stool next to Remus with her elbows on the counter propping up her chin. Sirius was leaning against the counter eating a huge bowl of cereal, Charlie was sitting reading a book on Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Lily was at the stove cooking god knows what but it smelled really good! James walked over and went to take a cup of hot chocolate from Clara's carefully arranged tray only to have his hand slapped.

Lily left the stove temporarily to pile plates, silverware, and napkins in Sirius' arms, and ordered him to set the table. He did, but he complained the whole time, so James helped him. Everyone sat down at the table except Lily, Remus tried to help her serve the food but she yelled at him and told him to sit down and shut up. Lily served everyone else then finally sat down to eat her own food. Everyone thanked Lily and Clara for breakfast and went their separate ways: Clara to the library, Remus to the Astronomy room, and Charlie went out to the gardens in the backyard.

"You're girls, you're weak!" Sirius challenged

"The hell I am!" Ashes replied and they all went to the Armory to test that theory.

Sirius let Ashes pick the weapons; she chose the longest swords she could find. Sirius decided he would go easy on her but quickly learned not to after the first three times he found her sword at his throat. Lily was tired of watching so she grabbed James' hand and dragged him out onto the mat; James grabbed a pair of whips and threw one to Lily.

She spun it around and caught him around the wrist, drawing blood. Ashes wasn't doing too bad either, she had beaten Sirius twelve times already but the guy refused to let it go.

By the time everyone had called a truce Sirius had a thin line of blood across his throat, Ashes was perfectly fine, Lily had a cut across her right cheek and her arm, her shirt was also hanging loosely on one side…one of the straps broke from a blow to her shoulder and James' wrist was bleeding all the way around. They all went back to their rooms to clean up and then they met in the library to check on Clara's progress.

Books were thrown all over the place, some open and some stacked one on top of the other. Her hair had come out of its once neat bun and her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. Her brow was sweating, as she climbed to the top of the ladder to reach for yet another book.

"Wow, you made a big mess," James whistled looking around the now messy room.

"Shut-up, don't talk to me, sorry, I'm thinking, be quiet," She snapped at them all flustered. She was searching frantically for something, what they had no clue but she would tell them in her own time. In the mean time they each took a seat and enjoyed watching her run all over the place and trip occasionally because of all the books on the floor. Finally she slammed the book that she was looking at on the table and fell down in a chair and sighed.

"I've looked everywhere! I figured out only half of what my back says and the other half is a mystery. I can't find one thing on your tattoos, it seems like something is still missing! I need the final piece," she fretted.

"Can't you figure it out using all the other information you have," Lily asked.

"No, that's the problem. It's like having a puzzle of two hundred pieces but missing the final piece, you can see the picture develop but the picture will never be complete until the last piece is in place!" She explained to them worried that she'd never find the answers.

"Alright! Alright! You've won you Truth Nazis. I have a tattoo, it's on the left side of my shoulder blade---yes James I know it's the opposite of yours---no Clara I don't know what it means."

She unbuttoned her shirt away from the guys and pulled it down far enough so that Clara could read and translate what it said  "Lampyrid…that's…" She couldn't finish the sentence because she started to laugh so hard that her stomach started to hurt. Lily glared at her one because Clara was making fun of her and two because she didn't even know why. Once Clara's breathing became regular she wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Lily barely containing herself from laughing out loud again, "Firefly." The others just looked at both of them strangely.

Lily sat back down after fixing her shirt muttering under breath that her friends were mean to her. "Is your puzzle complete," Lily all but spat out to Clara.

"If it was I wouldn't tell you," Clara replied, "No need to get cruel and sarcastic." Clara turned away from her and went back to her books.

"That's right, go back to your books God knows they're the only friends you'll have!"

"I wouldn't talk if I was you! Books are the only _things _that will even want to be in your company!"

"Lily! Clara! Stop!" Ashes shouted getting in the middle of the both of them. "This is stupid; you're fighting over something as trivial as the meaning of a tattoo!"

"I didn't have to tell anyone about it, I could have kept it to myself! And when I do tell she laughs and openly mocks me!" Lily screamed. "How do we even knew she translated them right? Are we really going to rely on what she _thinks _she knows?"

"Lily you've gone way too far," Sirius stood up, "We could always count on Clara to translate things correctly."

"You're taking her side too?" Lily screeched.

"Lily I'm sorry if its makes you feel any better I didn't know you'd react this way."

Clara apologized not wanting Lily think she's a bad friend but also wanting her know she's being a little over dramatic.

"If it makes me feel better! You shouldn't have laughed in the first place! And what do you mean react this way! How did you expect me to react? Do you expect everyone to just let you say whatever you want! You're not as likeable as you think you are! You're my friend you're supposed to be there when I need you instead you're only there to laugh; I wish you were never my friend in the first place!"

"That's enough! You're being unfair!" James interrupted.

"That's right everyone take _her _side! I'm only here to poke fun at!"

"You're being unfair and totally insincere!"  
"She laughed at me—"

"You and I both know that's not why you're fighting! Look at her! Look at what you've done! You've been horrible to her and she did nothing back! Your not fighting about this there's something else that's pushing you on and I'd advise you to talk to someone about it before you blow up on the wrong person," His eyes were livid as he looked at her and for the first that she could remember he was angry…at her. She looked at Clara who was by now crying.

Clara wiped the tears off her cheek and glared at Lily, she looked at her for a second before turning her head to the side and walking away, she stopped in the door frame of the door and whispered, "I hate you." She left. This just seemed to fuel Lily more than anything and she kept going. Ashes disappointed at her friend left. Sirius and James stayed listening to her scream on and on and sometimes screaming back at her.

"Don't talk to me about letting something go! I won't let Clara win this fight and I won't let you win either! You're holding on to something will never happen! If you want me to learn to let go you have to let go first! You hypocritical, arrogant,--"

"You want me to let go? Fine I will, but just remember you won't want me to help you in your future but soon enough you'll want your friends back and no one will be there…not even your enemies." He didn't even look at her as he walked out of the room and disappeared around the corner.

She turned to Sirius but he didn't let her say a word before he started to talk. His voice was low, even, menacing and intimidating all at once. "This time you're going to listen to me. James is my best friend and I will not let him be dragged down by the likes of you. I've watched James for five years watch you. I watched him chase you and I watched him get turned down and every time he came back to me and asked why. And do you know something I couldn't answer him, I just sat there without a single damn word to say to him. As every year passed I watched his hope sink lower and lower and even then I had nothing to say, I didn't know what I would say. For five damn years I watched him be dragged and pulled by you! For five damn years I watched how you became the selfish bitch that you are now! He'd give anything for you," Sirius laughed softly, "And you know what, he almost did die for you. I hope you find some new friends because no one in this house will you forgive you not today. Not after what you've done. Find someone to run to because you have no one left here that will pity you." With that said Sirius turned on his heel and walked out.

Lily lifted her head higher trying to keep her pride but ending up sinking to the floor and becoming the mess that she truly was. She pulled out a letter from her back pocket and angrily tore it shreds in front of her tears falling on to her hands as she did so.

Clara ran to a destination not known at the moment, all she knew was that she didn't want to stop running for if she stooped the reality of everything would hit her hard. She wanted do everything she could to keep from feeling that. She ran blindly, step after step, stumbling along not paying attention to where she was going. Before she knew it she was running on dirt and dodging trees. She stopped, breathing so heavily that her ribs hurt. All around were trees and more trees, there were no paths to follow and there was a silence that scared her more than anything. She didn't know which way the house was and she had forgotten her wand in the library. She looked up to the sky and almost cried out in fear….it was going to be night soon…

Lily looked out the window, the sun was setting…Clara was scared of the dark for some reason and something told her that Clara had gone outside. Lily grabbed her wand and set off to find Clara, three flights of stairs later and a lot of searching in the forest she found Clara sitting on a fallen tree crying. Lily approached her slowly, by this time it was really dark so Lily had lit her wand,

"Clara…." She whispered

"Y-Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, I had no right to go that far and I'm really sorry…I don't expect you to forgive me but I had to apologize to you anyways!"

"I'm sorry too! I can forgive you but I'll never forget." Clara got up and hugged Lily and they both cried, for themselves, for what they said, but most of all for each others demons. They let go and walked back to the house guided by Lily's wand light.

In the house Charlie and Remus went into Sirius's room out of breath from searching the whole house.

"Lily's gone," Remus stated.

"And I can't find Clara," Charlie said worried.

Sirius didn't bother to look at them for his eyes seemed glued to the window which overlooked many things. He was silent for a moment before he spoke still not turning in their direction.

"Clara ran off ten minutes ago and Ashes went to find her, as for Lily I don't give a damn."

"Sirius, how could you say such a thing about her," Charlie and Remus scolded him at the same time.

Sirius looked at them with lazy eyes and laughed bitterly making Charlie and Remus look at each other and wonder what had on earth happened while they had been gone.

Charlie put her hand on Sirius's shoulder in a comforting way, "What happened," she asked softly.

"It doesn't matter what happened or why on earth it did happened, the only thing that is important is why such harsh words were exchanged and what caused such a meltdown for all of us. I expect no one will forgive each other. So many things were said and I don't even remember why it started," he scoffed. He shrugged Charlie's hand off of his shoulder and looked at both them serious, "Lily insulted Clara herself and her knowledge of ancient Runes. She yelled at James for holding onto something that would never happen, James yelled back with equally harsh words and well I called her a selfish Bitch. How's that for Drama?"

Remus remained silent almost knowing that something of this nature would happen to them. Charlie practically let her jaw drop to the floor in shock that is happened, everyone was acting so happy today, everything was going great! What on earth screwed it up?

"Lily wouldn't say such things," Charlie confessed, "That's not who she is."  
"Well apparently that is who she is, she must have kept it well hidden if you didn't see it," he said.

"I think Charlie's right," Remus stated, "Maybe it wasn't Lily." Charlie and Sirius gave him a questioning look, he sighed. "Well it is Lily technically but maybe she didn't mean to yell at any you. She was yelling at Ashes, Charlie and Clara the other day, she's been overdramatic lately and doing things you thought you'd never see her do before…"

"And your point is," Sirius asked bluntly not really caring.

"I'm saying that there's something else that's bothering her that's she trying to keep hidden, the more she keeps it in the more she ends up blowing up at innocent people. I suggest you talk to her before you automatically say something about her."

"So you think she had a right to say such things!" Sirius shouted at him getting angrier by the second.

"She had no right to say anything about anyone, all I'm saying is that there's something else that we need to know. She shouldn't have said what she did but neither should you," Remus calmly replied. Sirius looked ready to jump on Remus, how could he possibly be agreeing with her!

_"There's a river of tears I need to cry._

_Been holding back for years_

_There's a mountain so high I need to climb_

_To wipe away these fears_

_Solitude and Loneliness have been a friend of mine_

_As I'm turning my back on emptiness_

_I leave them all behind."_

_"Walkaway" by Geri Halliwell_

Lily stopped at the back door,

"You go ahead…I'll be in….later"

"Okay………." Clara replied going through the door and shutting it behind her.

Lily turned and walked around to the front of the house, then started off down the street,

How could her mom do this to her? How dare she? After all Lily had done for her! Covering up for her, making excuses to the neighbors about why the hell her parents would yell so much and why her mother was drunk all the time.

James was pissed off….severely, he left his room when punching his pillow as hard as he could thirty some odd times didn't work and decided to go for a drive. Halfway down the stairs to the second floor he realized he had left his keys in the Library and doubled back to get them. When he arrived he saw the shredded note on the floor, he repaired it with his wand, the writing was sloppy as if the person who was writing it hadn't been able to focus on the paper too well, and read it silently:

_Lily,_

_Your father and I are getting a divorce, he left two days ago and I haven't seen him since, It's better for all of us this way! Please don't worry about it Honey, It'll be better this way! I'm selling the house and going to stay with Grandma Rose in America, since you'll be at your school for the rest of the year and you're almost seventeen could you please come get the things you want of yours. Petunia is moving in with Vernon so you don't have to worry about her! Write me back as soon as you can and remember your father and I love you very much!_

_Love, Mom_

_"Who knows just where I'm going_

_Does tomorrow belong to me?_

_Walk away this time with my head held high_

_Walkway just me and myself_

_Walk away with pride nothing left to hide_

_But it just feels right to be one and just walk away"_

_"Walkaway" by Geri Halliwell_

James put it in his pocket and grabbed his keys off the table and went down to the garage. Knowing Lily she'd think irrationally and walk to her house, and even though it was pretty far to her house it was dark and she was alone, and she probably wasn't thinking sanely enough to think of Apparating. He gunned it down the street and out of sight, the road was winding up and down cliffs, he took the turns quickly but not enough to go over the side.

_"I could never forget how hard we tried_

_When we were oh so young_

_Just one tender moment I cannot find_

_Well maybe I had none_

_Strength will be by my side_

_Although I feel afraid_

_But I know it's too late for this goodbye_

_There's nothing left to say."_

_"Walkaway" by Geri Halliwell_

Lily opened the front door slowly, the house brought back all those bad memories that she wanted to forget. Her parents fighting, yelling at holidays, forgotten birthdays...everything. She closed the doors behind her with a soft 'click' and walked up the stairs to her room. It was the same as she had left it, she grabbed a bag out of her closet and filled it with some clothes, a few of her favorite books, letters from her friends, and a picture from her nightstand of her, Clara, Ashes and Charlie. She closed the bag, slung it over her shoulder and turned out the light as she left her room for the last time. As she was walking down the stairs she passed a picture of her parents hanging on the wall, it was taken at their wedding.

_"Every memory of looking out the back door_

_I have the photo that was printed on my bedroom door_

_Its time to say, time to say it_

_Goodbye, goodbye_

_Every memory of walking out the front door_

_I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for_

_Its time to say, time to say it_

_Goodbye, goodbye!"_

_-Photograph by Nickelback_

She stopped and took it off the wall. Her tears fell onto the glass, she looked at it wondering what in the hell went so wrong and what she could have done to fix it. She slammed the picture down on the hardwood floor as she reached the bottom of the stairs, the glass broke and a huge gash appeared on the surface of the floor. She opened the front door, turned and took one last look at her old life and walked away….She may not have been able to help her parents in time but she wasn't going to do the same with her friends.

_"Who knows just where I'm going_

_Does tomorrow belong to me?_

_Walk away this time with my head held high_

_Walk away just me and myself_

_Walk away with pride nothing left to hide_

_But it just feels right to be one and just walk away."_

_"Walkaway" by Geri Halliwell_

She was halfway down the front walk when a black car came to a screeching halt in front of her, James rolled down the passenger side window.

_"One day you'll realize that the tears you saw in my eyes_

_Will be there forever."_

_"Walkaway" by Geri Halliwell_

"Get in!" He said shortly

She did quietly, sitting her bag on the floor at her feet, the instant she had her seat belt on and the door was closed he gassed it and they were speeding back down the road. Lily sat nervously in her seat wondering if she would live to apologize to everyone, James so far had said nothing at all or even glanced in her direction. She leaned her head back as exhaustion over took her, she woke up half an hour later as James shook her arm. She grabbed her bag and followed him into the house. She closed door behind her and James and followed him once again to the stairs.

They got up a grand total of two steps before Ashes came storming out of the sitting room her rushed steps showing how worried and upset she was. Ashes had appeared so suddenly that Lily had jumped and grabbed James' arm. James looked at her and then at her arm that was holding him in place. He shook her off and went to leave.

"I don't think so. I waited for four hours! Four! That's two hundred and forty minutes I sat there wondering if you both were okay and if your were hurt or even worst dead! That's fourteen thousand and four hundred seconds that I sat here thinking of how many ways I could KILL YOU," she hissed vehemently at them.

She took a deep breath, "Getting over that are you two okay?"

"We're fine," Lily mumbled. James said nothing and only went to go up the stairs once again. Ashes with quicker reflexes than anyone else at the moment grabbed a hold of James arm and Lily's arm and dragged them up every single stair. Her grip as tight as a snake.

"Let me go, Ashes, I have no time for this," James told her stonily.

"James Andrew Potter, you're not going anywhere until you give your sisters the birthday they deserve! I spent a lot of time decorating this for you and for them! They wanted to see you before they went to sleep and if I have to drag you by your feet you will go!"

"Okay…mom," James rolled his eyes and reluctantly followed her.

Lily struggled against Ashes, her grip now cutting off her circulation.

The clock struck midnight.

Once they reached the door Ashes turned to them and looked them straight in the eye, "You're going to go in there and smile, be happy if you so much as look unhappy for two seconds I swear I'll murder you both…and admit to it!" She pushed them in through the door way with such a force they stumbled before they caught their balance.


End file.
